Express Win Wild One 5-4
February 1, 2012 - ECHL (ECHL)
Chicago Express News Release
Trenton, NJ - The Chicago Express, proud member of the ECHL and proud affiliate of the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, held on during a back and forth contest for a 5-4 win over the Trenton Titans at the Sun National Bank Center on Wednesday Night.
It took over 15 minutes for the game's first goal, but a power play late in the period put the Titans on top. F Rob Bordson found LW Randy Rowe all alone in front of the net, and the resulting one-time snuck past G Peter Mannino at 15:37. Mannino stopped 16 of the 17 Titans shots in the first frame.
The Express found their offense in the second period, starting with D Scott Wietecha hammering a one-timer from the top of the slot and a deflection from LW Devin DiDiomete beat G Dave Caruso 2:41 into the frame. Chicago then took a lead in the contest, as Wietecha slipped a pass through the top of the goal crease deflecting off traffic in front of the net, making the score 2-1 at 4:29 of the middle frame. Just 40 seconds later, F Anthony Maiani scored his first goal as a member of the Chicago Express when he picked up a rebound off a shot from F Kyle Ostrow for Chicago's third goal in 2:28. Trenton cut into the Chicago lead with their second power play goal of the night, as F Ryan Hayes lifted a wrist shot into the top right corner of the net for a 3-2 score with 1:33 left in the period. Trenton held a 34-21 edge in shots after the middle frame.
The offense opened up for both sides in the second half of the third period, as Maiani collected his second goal of the game on a rebound from a D Evan Stephens shot, as Chicago regained their two-goal lead at 10:27 of the final stanza. Trenton came right back, as D Mitch Versteeg blasted home C Chris Poli pass at 13:17 to cut the Chicago lead to 4-3, but Chicago struck again 1:58 later as DiDiomete scored his second of the game by pounding home a rebound off the pads of Caruso, putting the Express up for good. D Ray DiLauro added one more for Trenton with 2:27 left in the game, but it was too little too late as the Express hung on for the 5-4 win. Mannino ended the game with 40 saves, earning the win for the Express.
Power plays: CHI: 1/3; TRE: 2/5
Three stars: 1. A. Maiani (CHI); 2.K. Ostrow (CHI); 3. D. DiDiomete (CHI)
Notes:
Chicago began a six-game road trip tonight... The Express are 2-0-1-0 in Trenton this season... RW Tyler Donati earned his 200th point with a third period assist... Chicago is now 6-2-1-0 against Atlantic Division this season... F Anthony Maiani scored his first goal as a member of the Chicago Express in the second period. He finished the game with two goals... G Peter Mannino tied a club record with 40 saves in the game. G Paul Dainton also performed the feat twice this season.
The Express hit the road for the next five games, and return home against the Gwinnett Gladiators on Friday, February 17. That game is a dollar Friday, featuring one dollar beers and one dollar hot dogs.
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